When the founder of Papa John’s made a racial slur, it had a detrimental impact on the company. John Schnatter resigned after a recording of him using the N-word during a marketing call was made public. Since then, Papa John’s has worked hard to distance itself from Schnatter and the negative publicity he brought upon the restaurant chain. Now, Papa John’s Pizza has revealed a new logo and a slight name change, marking a fresh start and leaving Schnatter’s connection to the company in the past.
In a recent press release, the pizza chain announced that the rebranding is a significant step towards a brighter future for the struggling business. Ever since Schnatter’s racist comment tarnished the Papa John’s reputation, the company has battled with negative press. However, with the new name and logo, Papa John’s hopes to usher in a new era of pizza making that will bring joy to its customers.
The name change is rather simple. The restaurant chain will now go by the name Papa Johns, omitting the apostrophe that previously indicated multiple Johns involved with the company. This grammatical change helps to distance the company from Schnatter and his prejudiced views.
Although Papa John’s was initially launched in Jeffersonville, Indiana, its current headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky. However, it won’t be staying in Schnatter’s hometown for much longer. The company recently revealed plans to build a new global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We’re excited to establish a headquarters office in such a vibrant and diverse region,” stated CEO Rob Lynch. “Metro Atlanta’s wealth of talent and its exceptional airport, connecting us to domestic and international markets crucial to our brand’s future, will propel our long-term growth.”
Furthermore, Papa John’s has sold some of its land in Kentucky. As the company prepares to relocate its operations to Georgia, it decided to sell the available land to Baptist Health for the establishment of a future hospital.
Max Wetzel, Papa John’s Chief Commercial Officer, expressed his thoughts on the changes, saying, “The loyalty and love people have for Papa Johns have been built on our well-known promise of Better Ingredients, Better Pizza — and today, we are signaling to the world that Papa Johns is ‘Hungry for Better.’ We are evolving how the Papa Johns experience comes to life across all touchpoints, while remaining true to our roots and our continual ambitions for improvement and growth. This new experience celebrates our tremendous momentum and embodies our vision for future expansion.”
In the press release, Papa John’s also explained that these changes were made to celebrate their progress and future prospects. The company aims to shed the negative associations linked to Schnatter’s racist remarks by implementing this slight name change.
